The Observer
by VioletSkiesxX
Summary: Cuore watches people, and learns a lot of things. She just doesn't tell people what she sees. Now, though, she may just spill her secrets to Edge on a night in the forest, with Rydia asleep... Cuore-centric, with Edge/Rydia.


Cuore muttered the words to a fire spell, her hand pointed at a small pile of wood she had gathered. She felt energy spread across her body, gathering in her fingertips. The energy was warm, and pulsing – like a little heart. Like fire. She finished the incantation, and fire burst from the wood, instantly warming the area she was in. On any normal occasion, Cuore would be wearing a proud smile, admiring her work and calling Rydia over. But that night wasn't the time for smiles or good cheer.

Cuore and Rydia had been whisked away from Mist earlier that day by Edge, who insisted that they required more "bonding time" as a make-shift family. This came in the form of taking Cuore out to train on another continent. Typical Edge, really.

The day had started off well. Cuore's magic had grown in strength a little, and even Rydia and Edge were polishing rusty skills. They had stopped for lunch at a nice brook, where Cuore had splashed around and left the adults to talk. They had plenty of supplies at first, and boy, did they need them! It seemed like every other monster they encountered would badly injure or knock out one of them.

But then their luck ended. Their potions ran dry amidst a particularly nasty battle with a Behemoth, and Rydia had been badly injured, and knocked out. They had taken refuge in a safe-looking clearing, where Edge had been nursing a still-unconscious Rydia.

"Edge!" Cuore called, running back over to the man who had taken the role of her father. "I made a fire... It should be a bit warmer now. That will help, right?" Edge looked up at her, forcing a smile and giving her a quick nod before his attention was devoted to Rydia again.

Cuore knelt down beside them. Rydia's breathing was laboured, and she had a light fever. Edge had laid her down on the grass so he could inspect her wound. The wound in question, a large, deep gash on her side, was covered in herbs Edge had learned about. Simple remedies, in case one had run out of potions. However, these remedies weren't as great as a potion or a Cure spell. They were simple. Meant to sustain you until you could get to a town.

"How is she?" Cuore asked, reaching down to brush her adoptive mother's hair out of her face, letting her fingers trail down Rydia's cheek. Edge remained quiet, avoiding her gaze and staring at Rydia. This, Cuore knew, was not a good sign. Edge was never this quiet.

Cuore shifted her legs to sit properly, and brought her knees up to her chest. Every day, she had been learning things about being human. Discovering emotions, instincts, manners, and so on. Rydia had been her main tutor, but Edge and other friends had helped. However, in all of her 9 months in Mist, Cuore had never felt this terrible before. She felt sick to her stomach with fear and worry. She felt tiny and insignificant and helpless... The entire incident had really just made her realize how utterly useless she still was, despite how Edge and Rydia always insisted she had talent. At the moment, all Cuore wanted to do was crawl into her mother's arms and cry the way she did when she accidentally killed a bird with a stray Thunder spell.

Cuore sat in silence for a while, before bringing her hands up to her face to desperately try to hide tears that she _knew _were forming. They were building up quickly, despite how hard she tried to suppress them.

She knew it was all her fault Rydia was injured. She had used up the last potion – the Behemoth had slammed into her arm and broken it, and she had quickly healed it to try and get back into the battle. The monster was very close to death – one blow from Edge's blades had killed in the end, after Rydia's injury. Cuore could have killed it beforehand. But, for the first time that day, her spell missed. However, the action had gotten the Behemoth's attention. It targeted her, and had prepared to take a swipe with a massive paw, when Rydia had jumped in front, taking the attack on herself. All Cuore had gotten was a scratch on her left arm. Nothing more. She was sure Edge blamed her, and Rydia would, too.

"Cuore, sweetheart. I need you to show me your arm, please," Edge's voice cut through her thoughts, drawing Cuore back to reality. The Maenad child looked up at him, wiping tears from her eyes, still sniffing softly. Edge didn't _look_ as if he blamed her. In fact, he looked rather worried, and really seemed like he cared.

'Despite the evidence heading in the direction of him caring,' Cuore thought bitterly, 'He's a very good actor. I've seen that. It's probably the same thing now. He just doesn't want me to feel bad and lose control.' She watched him for a moment, before hesitantly holding out her arm for him to look at. He immediately went to work on it, telling Cuore that she should have looked at it earlier. Cuore's attention had been completely been on Rydia, though. She had ignored the scratch, and she thought Edge hadn't even noticed it.

Edge finished his work quickly, and shifted his body so he was lying on his side beside Rydia, one hand lazily running through her tangled hair. Cuore bit her lip, trying to think of what to say to him. She just knew he blamed her. Why shouldn't he, after all?

"I – I'm sorry!" Cuore finally burst out without much thought. She cursed herself mentally. She had _almost_ completed a long speech inside her head of what to say to him. 'Note,' she thought. 'Human mouths are evil, and move when you do not want them to.'

Cuore briefly looked up, and saw that Edge was completely bemused and sitting up once more. He was clearly waiting for her to elaborate, so she continued, "It's all my fault." She looked away again, gazing down at the grass, which she was picking at gently with one hand to distract her.

"Cuore... It's not... How... Why do you think that?" Edge sounded completely astonished, and more than slightly confused. Cuore dared to look up at him again now that he had collected his thoughts a bit more, and felt a pang in her heart at his expression. It was full of grief and pain, mingled with a bit of guilt. "Cuore, sweetheart. If this is anybody's fault, this is mine. I brought you two out here, despite knowing how dangerous it is. Both you and Rydia got injured today. If I had just left you alone, this wouldn't have happened. So, please... Whatever reason you have for blaming yourself, let it go. It's not your fault, and I don't want you feeling bad over it."

Cuore gaped at him for a few moments, unsure of how to respond. He was shouldering the blame? Her carelessness wasn't _his_ fault! Did he seriously think Rydia would blame him when she awoke?

She had never actually felt pity before. Sure, she had felt many other emotions, like guilt and pain, but never actual pity. Now, however, Cuore felt a wild torrent of pity raining down on her. She wanted to hold Edge close, and never let go. She slowly crawled closer to him, and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his neck.

"Rydia won't blame you, Edge," she mumbled, unsure of how to comfort him. "She never does. Not really. I know she doesn't show it, but... she really does love you. Believe me," she said firmly as she felt Edge stiffen. The tension in the air was so think one could drown in it. Cuore took this chance to let go of him, and snuggle into his side instead, her small body fitting perfectly like it always did when she asked to cuddle.

"Cuore... As much as I'd like that to be true..."

"It _is_ true," Cuore insisted, cutting him off. She knew she was swimming into more dangerous waters with this topic. It was the one thing Rydia refused to talk about. She had lost her temper over it a few times, snapping that it was her business. Cuore had never actually _tried_ talking to Edge about it, since she had always assumed he would be just as stubborn about the topic.

Cuore took the silence Edge was giving her as an invitation to continue. "I observe things, Edge. You know I do. I sit at the village and watch people, because I find humanity absolutely fascinating. Whenever you visit, Rydia smiles, and it's not her normal smile. Her normal smile looks different, like she still has a lot on her mind. But when _you're_ there, she gives you her special Edge smile. The smile that looks completely carefree and happy. It really suits her. After you leave, she stands by the window and _sighs _and _sighs_! She stares at where you always enter the village, as if she's always desperate for you to return." As she spoke, Cuore watched Edge carefully for his reactions, and wasn't disappointed. He went from serious to skeptical, from shocked to amazed and a little bit hopefully, before bringing his face back to the stoic expression he had held before.

"I'm her friend, Cuore. We saved the world together. Of course she would be a bit happy to see me," he said firmly after an awkward pause. "I love her to bits, yes. But to her, I am just a friend. It's the way it's always been, and I don't want to lose that."

Cuore groaned. She had assumed correctly, apparently. He was as stubborn as a mule on this subject, like Rydia. Sometimes, Cuore really, really hated bring right. However, she decided to press on, wanting to end the longing sighs and glances between them for good.

"She never does that with Cecil, or Rosa, or Porom, Edge. Or any of your old friends. She saved the world with them, too! She only smiles her best smile for you. For what reason could that be, other than the most obvious one – being, of course, that she loves you! On top of _that_, she treats you differently than ANY other suitor! You're not stupid, Edge. Surely you know that men in Mist are all competing for her hand! They all try to act as my father, and she turns them away. Yet, she doesn't turn _you_ completely away. She lets you be my father. Nobody else!" Cuore was practically shouting, desperate for her words to sink in. She just wanted one of her stupid parents to finally just _listen _to her! Maybe Edge would...

'Or maybe not,' Cuore thought bitterly as she inspected Edge's face. His eyes were closed, and his brow was furrowed. Overall, he just looked troubled and a bit tired. The lines on his face were more apparent than ever.

"Cuore, I know that you're trying to cheer me up, and I do appreciate that. Trust me, I do," he said, putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer. "But... She refuses them, yes. Like she refuses _me._ She refuses them because she is Rydia. She would lie and give somebody false hope, or pretend that she likes them. She wouldn't ever marry somebody she doesn't love. Which is why she won't marry me. If by some miracle you _are_ right, and she _does_ love me, then why does she keep refusing my affections? Some things kids just don't understand, Cuore. It's better to leave them to adults." Edge's voice was tight and pained, and Cuore knew from observing others that he was close to succumbing to tears. This time, Cuore did not feel any pity, though. Instead, she felt her temper flaring up at his last sentence. She pulled away from him, taking a few deep breaths before letting her feelings go.

"Human children might not understand. Sure, I get that. But... I. Am. Not. Human. _I am Maenad._ I am smarter than most of the world. I observe people and learn quickly. My logic is feared in the village. I can figure anything out in mere heartbeats, so don't you _dare_ underestimate me, or tell me that I don't understand. Right now, I believe I understand far more than _you_," she growled, her eyes gleaming with anger. She moved a bit further away from Edge, trying to calm herself down. When she lost control of herself, she lost control of her magic. The last thing she needed was to accidentally cast a spell on anybody.

Edge had remained quiet, and had gone back to fiddling with the leaves on Rydia's arm. Cuore knew that her battle was won. He wouldn't compete with her temper, after all. He knew better. After calming down a bit more, she asked him, "Do you love Rydia, Edge?"

Edge looked surprised, and blinked a few times, before stammering, "Y-yes, of course I do. Obviously."

Cuore was pleased by his answer, and smiled. "Then kiss her, Edge."

"W-WHAT? C-Cuore! You can't expect me to... I wouldn't...! Now while she's asleep!" spluttered a very flustered Edge, causing Cuore to giggle a little. "Stop laughing! This is serious!" Cuore just laughed harder. Humans really were too fun.

"If you kiss her, I'm sure she'd wake up," Cuore said coyly, crossing her fingers behind her back and biting her lip. Edge pinched the bridge of his nose, and let out a long sigh. Cuore inched closer to him, flashing her best smile at him.

"Besides – even if she doesn't wake up, she won't know you kissed her, and I _promise_ I won't tell her, so pleeeeease? It would be so romantic, and I know Rydia secretly likes romantic stuff!" Cuore begged, sticking her lower lip out. Edge considered her words for a moment, before saying,

"How do you know that, Cuore?"

Cuore rolled her eyes. "I watched her, duh," she said briskly, making an exasperated face. "Now go on! Do it! I know you'd like kissing her."

"I can't go around kissing people without their permission, Cuore," Edge said sternly, intending for him to have the last word.

"What's this about kissing people?" came a groggy, soft voice from below them. Edge paled, and looked down to where Rydia's eyes had opened a bit, and she was rubbing her forehead. "Did I hear wrong, or did you actually just say something decent, Edge? Maybe my headache's getting to me..."

Cuore's former attitude was gone in an instant. "Hey, Rydia! We were just talking about you,"she said sweetly, grabbing her mother's hand and squeezing it. She spoke again, choosing her words carefully. "Edge said a whole bunch of nice things! He said he 'loves you to bits' and that he doesn't ever want to lose your friendship." Rydia's eyes widened, and she turned her gaze to Edge.

"_Did _he, now?" she said, her tone sarcastic. "Cuore..."

"Cuore!" hissed Edge, blushing furiously. "I trusted you with that information!" Cuore simply grinned at him, before sticking her tongue out. Edge cleared his throat, and adjusted his attitude. "You know, she told me things, too! Like how you have a special smile for me, and how you watch the path I walk away from Mist on... Seems like you have a teeny crush on me. Have I finally managed to win you over?" he asked flirtatiously with a charming wink.

Rydia rolled her eyes, but was betrayed by her smile and small laugh, despite the fact that she was probably in extreme pain. Their eyes met, and their gazes were fixed on each other, millions of emotions flashing through them.

'There it is,' Cuore thought happily. 'Her special Edge smile! I think they've made progress!' She jumped up, making the two adults jump a bit. "I'm going to go get a drink. There's a river just down there. You two should talk," she said pointedly, grinning as she skipped over in the direction she had pointed.

As she left, she heard the two beginning to speak awkwardly.

"So, you love me to bits, eh? That's... well... Nice, actually."

Cuore's grin grew wider, and she considered hiding in a tree and watching their conversation, but decided against it. 'After all,' she thought seriously. 'If I've learned one big thing from humans, it's that they like privacy for things like this. So, I'll let them have privacy for now.' Cuore walked far enough so that she couldn't hear their conversation, before lying on the grass, her arms behind her head. She looked up at the sky, observing the stars as she waited.

'What a trip _this _turned out to be,' she muttered, smiling and closing her eyes peacefully. She could probably get away with a little nap while she waited for her parents. After all, they were both stubborn mules.

But they were stubborn mules in love, and that made all the difference in the world.

_Fin_

**So, there you have it. My first FFIV story published on here, and it's about a character I love. Cuore. :D I've tried writing stuff about her before, but I've never managed to finish anything. I guess I got the inspiration from TheMoonclaw's and Mythweaver1's amazing stories with Cuore, so this story is dedicated to them in a way. :)**

**Reviews would be very much appreciated, but please please PLEASE no flames. :3**


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